Wedding Dress
by Gina Ayn
Summary: "You know there's only one person who must be your groom," her best friend told her. 'And that person's going to be married already,' she thought, tears forming in her eyes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there!**

**Wedding dress is one of the GA fanfics I've left somewhere in my hard drive. =)) I started it sometime in 2008, but I stopped because of various reasons. then i found it again last June, and I decided to continue it.**

**But I didn't continue. I changed almost everything about it. :D**

**I hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: I'll only do this once for the whole story. I do not own Gakuen Alice.**

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><p>Chapter 1- Invitation<p>

A woman clad in an elegant purple blouse, fitted black slacks, and black stilettos got out of the limousine in front of a mansion. She stopped for a moment, just to collect her thoughts, and then rang the doorbell.

"Who's this, please?" a voice said through the intercom. The woman sighed, because it was the annoying assistant, but then, she really had no choice about it. She replied with a question, "Is Mikan in?"

"Ah, Mrs. Nogi, yes, she's in. She's not so busy, so I think you can talk to her. Come in," was the answer of the assistant. The woman rolled her violet eyes as she entered, and when she got to the assistant, she said, "Of course I can talk to her anytime I want, Shizuka. I'm her bestfriend, and besides, I don't think she has any choice."

Shizuka stiffened in her seat. Ever since she started, she had been on the wrong side of her boss's friend. If the cold woman could control her boss, she sure would have been fired ages ago.

"Hotaru! What brings you here?" Mikan exclaimed as her bestfriend entered her work room. Hotaru replied, "Do I really need a reason to see you?"

Mikan nodded her head, and said, "Well, you always have a reason."

The other woman rolled her eyes, and then she handed the brunette girl a lavish envelope, while saying, "Here, have a look at that. An invitation to an engagement party."

"Really? Oh come on, Hotaru, you shouldn't have recommended me! I'm not so famous, you know," Mikan said, with a hint of laughter in her voice. Hotaru sent her a cold look, and told her, "I didn't recommend you to be the bride's fashion designer, I don't need to. And stop that I-am-not-famous act. Most of your clients are rich and famous, and your label's already known. Anyway, that's not the point why I want you to read it."

Mikan glanced at the names of the senders, while commenting, "What a lavish letter for just an engagement party. You'd think it's already the wedding." Then she placed the envelope on her desk. She took a deep breath, and the smile on her face grew bigger.

"Woah. Looks like I'm the only one not married. Or going to be. Do you think I should go and find a groom?" she said, and then laughed. Her raven haired friend didn't even crack a smile at her comment.

"Mikan, you know there's only one person who must be your groom. Don't joke about this thing, this is a serious topic. So, are you going or not?"

"I'll think about it. It still depends on my schedule, see. If I have important things to do on that day I won't be able to go. But I'll send my regards," Mikan replied, and then she changed the topic. "So, how are your twins? How's Ruka?"

Hotaru smiled, and replied, "They're all fine. The twins are right now with their uncle, I'll pick them up later. Ruka's coming back from US tomorrow." And then they chatted more about the twins, until Hotaru needed to go.

On the way out, Hotaru asked Shizuka about Mikan's schedule on that day. "Oh, she'll be in Paris, ma'am. There's a fashion show of a new designer," replied the faithful assistant. Hotaru went to her car rather disappointed.

When Mikan was left on her office room she grew quiet. She took a sip from her coffee, and then went to the gardens, thinking about the invitation. While mulling over the letter she remembered her bestfriend's words.

_You know there's only one person who must be your groom._

Tears started forming in her eyes when she realized what was happening.

'_And that person's going to be married already.'_

For the lavish invitation now sitting on her working table bears his name. _Hyuuga __Natsume._

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><p><em><em>**Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please tell me by reviewing!**

**Thanks for reading! see you on the next chapter! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Goodbye

_She watched the raven-haired guy from afar. He was pacing back and forth, and at times he would glance at something. He also often ran a hand through his hair. Mixed emotions show up on his face: sadness, confusion, nervousness. _

_She already knew what was going on in his mind, and it added to the pain she had recently in her heart. She wanted to have someone to blame, but she knew it was all her fault. And the only thing that will help her at that time was to gather her courage, face the truth, and accept it._

_She took a deep breath, and as she slowly released it, she walked towards him._

_He had seen her then, and his grave crimson eyes locked with hers. His pained expression pierced her heart. Tears threatened to fall, but she held them back. She didn't want him to remember that moment with her crying. No, she told herself, she'll just cry it out later._

_When she reached him, she immediately asked, "What do you want to talk about, Natsume?"_

"_Mikan…" he whispered, with a voice so soft and so sad it almost made her sob. His eyes never left hers when he spoke again. "Mikan, let's break up."_

_She waited for a moment to pass, and then she replied, as nonchalantly as she could, "Fine, if that's what you want. You're better off without me anyway. You won't be worrying anymore about my safety, because all those who are after your power and money won't try targeting me anymore. It's better for me too. I won't be suffocated by the restrictions everyone puts on me because I'm your girlfriend. I'll be free from the body guards. I'll be free to do what I want."_

_He dropped his gaze. A few minutes passed without any of them moving or speaking. When she knew she couldn't take it anymore, she took a step back. She said, "It's okay, because it's better off this way. If we are meant for each other we'll find a way for us to be together again. But for now…"_

_She trailed off, because she didn't know if she could say what she needed to say. For a moment she couldn't breathe. Her tears are trying to escape, as well as her sobs. She fought so hard to be calm. When she could finally breathe, she told him._

"_For now it is goodbye."_

_She saw him flinch at the last word. Just as he was turning to look at her again, she turned around and walked away. She didn't run; she just walked in her normal pace. It wasn't because she wanted him to stop her and tell her he takes it back. No, she knew better. She knew he was frozen at his place, not knowing what to do or to say._

_She hailed a cab, and told the driver where to drop her off. And then she let the tears fall. She wanted to do nothing at that time but to cry, but she knew she has something to do. So she stopped, calmed herself, and called her mother._

"_Mom, is what I asked you done?" She asked._

"_Yes. But honey, why do you need to leave for Paris immediately? Can't you just go when your classes are near?" her mother inquired. Mikan took a deep breath and replied as calmly as she could, "Well, I wanted to adjust first before studying. It might be more difficult to adjust when there are already classes."_

_Fortunately, Yuka accepted her reply without further questions. They hung up._

_And she cried again._

Mikan slowly opened her eyes, which were damp and puffy. She yawned, and stood up to stretch. As she was bending to her right, she caught a glimpse of the design she had been working on and had slept on. She cursed.

The design was blurred due to tears. She needed to do it again. But that was not the only reason why she cursed. It was because of the dream she had.

She picked up the design, crumpled it, and threw it on the trash bin just behind her desk. Suddenly, her assistant came in, saying, "Miss Mikan, someone's on the phone. She wants to talk to you."

"Who is it?" Mikan asked, as she picked up the phone on her desk. Shizuka replied, "Kanaya Miku, ma'am."

Mikan froze. Of all the things that had been happening to her lately, that woman was one of the last people she would like to talk to. But she didn't have a choice, so she told Shizuka, "Okay, I'll take it."

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><p><strong>I'll be updating every Friday of the second and fourth week of the month. Expect it to be regular, because this story is already finished. :D<strong>

**Please tell me what you think by reviewing! :D**

**Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-Calls

"Hello?" Mikan asked tentatively.

"Is this Yukihara Mikan speaking?" A sweet voice inquired. Mikan paused, before answering, "Yes, What may I do for you?"

An excited squeal got to her end, and it made her cringe a little. Then the woman replied, "I'm Miku, Kanaya Miku. Did you already receive the invitation for the engagement party? Natsume said he had his best friend's wife, Nogi Hotaru, give it to you, since you two are close."

Mikan suppressed a laugh. Of all the girls that could replace her in Natsume's heart, it was somebody who was exactly like her. Somebody who is impatient, childish, and naive. She almost sighed. She didn't want to let that part of her to change, but she needed to, in order to move on in her life.

When she came back from her thoughts, she discovered that Miku was still ranting. "-was worried that you didn't receive the letter, because you still haven't responded if you'll be going or not. Natsume said he'll call you later, but I can't just wait. So, are you going?"

"I'm sorry, but no," Mikan politely replied, and then added her reason, "I will be in Paris that day."

A disappointed "oh" was what she heard following her words. She could almost see the look on the woman's face when she heard the response. But then, Miku exclaimed, "Ah, but it is okay! I just want you to be there because we will announce that you'll be the wedding dress designer!"

Mikan froze for the second time that day. She'll be the wedding dress designer? A long stretch of silence ensued. Evidently, Miku also realized her mistake, and was contemplating on how to fix it up.

"Ah, you see…" Miku tried to break the ice. "I saw the designs of the dresses you made for your best friend and your sister-in-law. I really liked them, so… if it's okay with you, will you do mine?"

'_No way! Why will I do that?' _Mikan thought. She opened her mouth, and out spilled words that weren't in her mind. "Sure, it's no problem."

"Really? Thanks!" Miku's excitement came back. "So, when do you think can we meet to discuss it? Are you free this Thursday?"

She was still in a state of shock that all she could say was, "Yeah, I'm free."

"Okay then! I need to go now. I think I've disturbed you enough. See you!" And with that, Miku ended the call, leaving a surprised Mikan to her own thoughts.

'_What the heck? Why did I say yes? This is so wrong!' _Mikan plopped herself on her seat, and then let out a defeated sigh. What did she get herself into?

Suddenly, her cellphone rang. She took a deep breath once again, calmed herself, and glanced at the phone's screen. It was an unregistered number, but judging that it was her personal phone, she knew it would just be one of her friends or family members using a different number.

It was Natsume.

"You're wasting your time, Mr. Hyuuga. I'm not going to your party," Mikan calmly stated after he introduced himself. She made sure that there was no hint of bitterness in her voice, but only amusement. She continued, "But I will be your fiancée's wedding dress designer, which I'm sure she'll tell you later when you get to talk to her."

Just as she expected, Natsume was taken aback by what she said. "You mean, she already called you?"

This time she let out the laughter she had been suppressing. "Yeah," she replied in between laughs, "She did, just a few minutes before you."

Natsume got irritated, and she immediately noticed it in in his voice. "I told her not to bother. Tsk, I guess she really is so impatient about this."

"Natsume, Natsume, you're already getting married, and yet you still don't know how women act?" she teased him. She laughed as she heard him defend himself.

"Hey, why don't you hang up and continue your work? I'm sure you prefer working better than hearing me tease you," she said, trying to end the conversation immediately. Natsume replied, "Hn. You're right. I guess I'll call Miku, though. Not following my orders…"

Her lips formed a sad smile, and before she ended the call, she told him, "Congratulations, Natsume."

She placed the phone on her desk. Then she leaned and closed her eyes. So many thoughts raced through her mind, as she tried to analyze what had happened.

She was so sure that she was affected negatively by this marriage. But why was acting calmly and indifferently so easy for her? Saying no would be the logical thing that she would do. She could make reasonable excuses. So why did she say yes?

Was she trying to convey to all of them that she had moved on, even though it was a lie? But that was really what she was doing. This…it should have a different reason.

Or could it be… Was she actually trying to deceive herself?

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><p><strong>I'm so sorry for not updating last week! blame my exams. :(<strong>

**Um...Is my spelling of Mikan's last name right? I'm actually not sure...**

**To mannna: thanks for the advice! actually, this story is always in my usb, and even if my usb fails, I can always copy it from my facebook account, where I posted it for my friends (I did a little experiment, as it was them who decided if the ending would be happy or sad). So there's no worry about me not updating!**

**Unless I do not have internet connections, which seems to fluctuate frequently here. :(**

**Please review! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-Visit

"Mommy, Daddy! Aunt Mikan's here!" a pink-haired girl shouted as she ran towards the visitor. Mikan couldn't help but smile. She carried the little girl, and planted a kiss on the child's cheek, while saying, "How have you been, Ayame-chan?"

Ayame giggled, before answering, "Ah, aunty, I've been very good! Mommy and daddy can tell you that!"

"How can I say that, when in truth you had been naughty?" her mother appeared, with a grin on her face. She turned to her sister-in-law, and said, "It's been a long time since you visited. Have you been so busy? Your brother gets annoyed when he doesn't see you often, you know."

Mikan let out a laugh, and replied, "Well, Tsubasa-niisan is too overprotective. He thinks that whenever I don't visit, I'm in trouble. Where is he anyway, Misaki-neesan?"

Misaki motioned towards the back garden. As they walked, they talked about Mikan's work. Meanwhile, the five-year old child hummed a song as she skipped. When they got to their destination, Mikan saw her brother immediately.

He was sitting on a chair underneath a sakura tree, a newspaper on his hands. He looked up when he heard footsteps, and his eyes widened when he saw his sister. He placed the paper on the table next to him, got up, and spread his arms, while saying, "Mikan! What a surprise! You visited!"

Mikan faked a glare, but then hugged him, and replied, "I believe it is only these last two months that I haven't visited. And you were very busy yourself that you cannot visit _me._"

"So, I heard something intriguing," Tsubasa said, quickly changing the topic. He had a smile on his face, and yet his voice was serious. Mikan already knew where the conversation would be going, and so she readied herself. Her brother continued, "I heard about Natsume's engagement, and the fact that you'll be the one to design the bride's gown."

Her smile didn't falter; on the other hand, it grew wider. She sat on the chair across her brother, looked straight into his eyes, and replied with an amused tone, "It is not hearsay. It is the truth, nii-san."

"_Even _the second part?"

"Even the second part," Mikan confirmed. The couple looked so incredulous that Mikan wanted to laugh. But she kept her face straight, and waited for them to recover. When they did, Tsubasa's eyes fired up, and his lips formed a deep frown.

"Mikan," he said in an icy tone, "Please do not involve yourself in his business. I believe that you are not yet over him, even though you always insist that you are. It is a mistake to accept the job."

She dropped the smile and replied just as cold, "Listen to yourself. I thought you do not like using your business tone within the family? Nii-san, I am perfectly capable of detaching personal problems from my work. I am not a child anymore."

"Your work does reflect your feelings, my dearest sister; it is, after all, art. I don't care if I need to act as Yukihara Tsubasa, the businessman and heir of our family, not as Tsubasa, your brother. I'll do everything just to make you realize that it is wrong, and prevent you from doing it."

His words struck a nerve. Mikan stood up, and said, "You promised never to interfere in my work!"

"But I also promised before that that I will protect you from any more pain, especially the one you experienced before! I will break my other promise just to fulfill the other."

"Please stop being so overprotective! I am an adult now. Let me make my own choices, my own mistakes! Let me learn from experience myself!"

Tsubasa opened his mouth, but no sound came from him. Mikan, meanwhile, glared at him defiantly. A few minutes passed in silence, until Misaki, who was just listening and watching at the two siblings fight, broke it.

"Tsubasa, your sister's right," she said quietly, "Let her make her own wrong choices. Let her learn from them. The only thing we should do is to support her, and help her stand up if she falls. That is our job."

He looked at his wife, and saw the conviction in her eyes. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, while he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the fire was gone, replaced by a look of surrender.

"Fine," he wearily said, "but when you fall, please do remember we're here for you. You tend to forget that."

Mikan relaxed. The smile on her lips came back, and so did the twinkle in her eyes. She replied, "And please do not blame yourselves for anything that goes for me."

Then they heard Ayame shout, "Mommy, daddy, aunty, look! A butterfly!"

All of them looked at where she was pointing. They all smiled when they saw the child laughing, happy that she saw a beautiful butterfly. They watched her run around the garden, chasing the butterfly.

'_How lucky a child is, as she doesn't have any difficult problems yet,'_ Mikan thought.

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><p><strong>Short! =)) I'm so evil. but, if you haven't noticed yet, all chapters really are meant to be short. I don't know why, I just had this rule only for this story. I guess it was because I rarely did short chapters. No wonder I never finished a story (until I finished this. :D )<strong>

**Thanks for all who reviewed, made this story a favorite, and had it on story alert. I'm very grateful! More reviews please! :D**

**And since it's Christmas time... :D I'll be posting another chapter! I'll probably post on the 26th (here in our country). Have a happy holidays!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-Meeting

Mikan stepped into the lavishly decorated foyer of the restaurant. As she walked towards the receptionist's desk, heads turned and stared. She didn't mind it; she was used to it. This had already been the situation since she was a child.

"I'm with Miss Miku Kanaya," she said to the awestruck receptionist. She tried her very best not to roll her eyes or raise an eyebrow, as the woman just stared at her. When a few minutes had passed, she brought her thumb and middle finger together, and snapped them in front of the receptionist.

"Ah, ah yes, they're already here," the embarrassed woman said. This time, Mikan did raise an eyebrow. She asked, "They? What do you mean?"

"Didn't Miss Kanaya tell you that her boyfriend's coming with her?" the receptionist asked, as she motioned one of the waiters to lead Mikan to their table. The reply she got was a no. She then said, "Well, now you know."

'_Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. What the heck? She never told me she'll bring Natsume! Can I handle this perfectly? Can I keep my cool? I'm panicking right now, so how can that be keeping my cool?' _Mikan thought, as she followed the waiter.

Once again, people turned to look at her. This time, it irritated her. _'Aren't they used to seeing famous and rich people here? Heck, they are rich people! Is there something wrong in my clothes?' _ She tugged the hem of her short pink dress with a white ribbon at the waist.

And then she saw them. They were talking, both with sweet smiles on their lips. Her heart pumped faster, and she felt like fainting. Can she really go through this meeting without looking so affected?

She noticed something. Miku was wearing a bright red asymmetrical frock, which hugged her body perfectly, and ended a little above her knees. How fitting: she, who was his former apple of the eye, was wearing the light shade of red; while Miku, his present flame, wore the color of love. His love for Mikan had faded; their love was growing stronger every day. That realization sent a pang of pain through her heart.

She could still back out. They haven't seen her yet, anyway. She could still slip away. She could still-

"Miss Mikan!" Miku exclaimed, as she waved her hand. Natsume looked up to see his past love. The smirk on his lips faltered a bit, which, luckily for him, nobody noticed. Mikan smiled, hoping that none will notice the pain masked by it.

When she got to the table, Natsume said, "You're late, as usual."

"I am not late," Mikan retorted. Tapping her bejeweled watch, she said, "You are just early. And just call me Mikan."

She took her seat opposite them. A waiter appears and asked for their orders. When he went away, Mikan started the conversation.

"I'm so sorry, but I'm just curious to ask: why did you bring Natsume along?" she inquired. Miku giggled, which made Natsume fake a glare at her. He raised an eyebrow at Mikan, and said, "Are you implying that I should not be here?"

"That is not what I meant, though I admit, the question does sound like that. Let me rephrase then. Don't you want to keep the design a secret from your fiancé?"

"And why should Miku keep it a secret from me?"

"To add…excitement, Natsume," she replied, with a teasing smile. She then turned to Miku, and said, "You know, most of my bride clients kept it as a secret. Hotaru and Misaki-neesan did too."

Natsume was about to say something, but Miku cut in. "I don't really want to keep secrets from him."

"Oh, is that so? Well then, why don't you tell me what you have in mind for the dress?" Mikan asked. For the next hour, as they ate, they talked about the dress, and the wedding in general. When they finished eating, the couple expressed their need to leave.

"You see, we'll be going to see a possible reception area. I'm really so happy to meet you, Miss Mikan. I am very fortunate that you had the time to see us," Miku said. Mikan shook her head, and smiled sweetly back at her, and told her, "No, I'm the one fortunate to be your designer. And I told you, stop calling me Miss. We're just the same age. I'll be sending the designs I will come up within this week."

They had already been out of the building, and about to part, when they heard a voice suddenly call out, "Mikan!"

They turned around to see the owner of the voice, and saw a guy leaning against a hot pink car. He had spiky blond hair and a mischievous smile on his lips.

Mikan stared at him, and felt her heart drop. Because the guy was currently her boyfriend.

Natsume, meanwhile, exclaimed, "Koko, what are you doing here?"

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><p><strong>I'll admit something. I don't know if I've already said this, but this story is short. I don't think I've developed the characters, and that's because this story was really rushed. But I'm really planning to go over it when I have the time. :D<strong>

**Merry Christmas! And an advance happy new year too! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to update for January. I was so busy I forgot about this.**

**So here's chapter 6. :D**

Chapter 6-Fight

Mikan's face reflected Natsume's question. Koko, on the other hand, continued on grinning. He unlatched himself from his car, and walked towards them. He gave his friend a high five, and told him, "Nice to see you again, dude. Haven't seen your face in, what, ages?"

Natsume laughed at his words, and replied, "It was just three years, Koko. And you haven't answered my question yet. What are you doing here?"

"Well, according to my sources, you'd be here today. I decided to see you so that you can't hide from me anymore. I wanted to tell you congratulations for your engagement. Heck, you didn't even tell me you have a girlfriend!"

"That's not the truth, isn't it? You could have just asked Ruka my number and call. You're not one to talk personally even if that is the reason."

Koko's grin grew wider, and then he put an arm around Mikan's waist, and pulled her close, while saying, "I'm here for my girlfriend."

Despite having excellent deceptive skills, Natsume wasn't able to mask his shock. Miku, meanwhile, gushed out, "That's so sweet! So you have a boyfriend, eh, Mikan? How long have you two been together?"

Mikan rolled her eyes, and released herself from Koko's one-arm hug. "Yeah, he's my boyfriend. A boyfriend who doesn't even bother calling his love that he'll be coming back to the country today, despite being together for almost three years." She turned to him, and said, "I don't see my car. I guess you ordered my driver to take it home, didn't you?"

He winked at her, and replied, "Of course. Remember what I told you before? Whenever I'm here, I'm your driver."

"Well then, bring me to Hotaru. I promised her that I'll visit the twins today."

"Hai, ojou-sama." He then opened the door to the passenger's seat for her. Before they got into the car, they looked back at the couple with them. Koko said, "Well, Natsume, let's meet up and have some fun sometime with the others."

"We'll be going then!" Mikan said to them, all the while smiling. Then they got into the car and drove off in silence.

They haven't gone far yet when Koko spoke. "What do you think are you doing, Mikan?" he asked in a tone unusual of him. She glanced at him, and his smile was gone, now replaced by a small frown.

She looked out the window to escape his glances, and replied in an irritated tone, "I am not doing anything wrong, Koko. I am just doing a favor to a friend."

He stepped on the brake, as the traffic light turned red. Then he looked at her fully. "Doing a favor to a friend? _Friend?_ Mikan, he is not just a friend. He is your ex-boyfriend! I thought we've talked this through!"

"He is now just a friend! The past is the past, Koko! I don't love him anymore!"

"You don't love him anymore," He scoffed, "As if. Have you forgotten why I am your boyfriend now? Have you forgotten that I, and I alone, am able to see through your disguises? That I know the deepest secret you're hiding from the world?"

Mikan stiffened. It was true, after all. She answered quietly, "I haven't forgotten."

"If you haven't forgotten, then why are you doing this?"

"Isn't it obvious? I am trying to prove to the world that I'm over him."

"Going to his wedding is enough, don't you think?"

"I thought it will be more obvious if I do the dress."

"And what if that plan of yours backfires?" by now, his voice wasn't angry anymore. It was exasperated.

"Do you think it will backfire?"

He rolled his eyes, and replied, "Knowing you, it will. But if this is really what you want, then I won't stop you. After all, it won't be to my disadvantage if anyone will know your secret. All I can do is helping you in your plans."

She looked at him, with a pout on her lips. "That's too cruel of you, Koko. It's as if you're not my boyfriend."

He returned her pout with a sly smile. "I am not. I am just acting as one, remember? I am just your boy-space-friend. A very good one, considering what I'm doing for you."

It made both of them laugh, and forget about the fight they just had.

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><p><strong>By the way, the hot pink car wasn't my idea. it was my friend's. She loves Koko so much that I decided to give her the freedom to choose for the color of his car. and he's in the story because she requested, "Please, put Koko in every chapter. even if he's just standing there or anything". As a good friend, I decided to give Koko a bigger role than just standing. :D<strong>

**I know there are mistakes, and I know that the story isn't very developed. But I still don't have time to fix it (in fact right now, I should be doing something else instead of this). Hopefully I would be able to fix it this coming break ( though I am required to have summer classes. :( ) so that the story would be much better. :D**

**Please review! And thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**How's everybody's Valentines' day? :D Mine was very busy and tiring because of my academics. :(**

**Despite having a busy weekend, I posted this, because I know you guys are waiting. this is just a short chapter. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 7-Darkness<p>

_She lay there in the darkness. She lay there, without knowing where she was. She lay there, shivering against the cold floor. She lay there, with her mouth covered, and her hands and feet bound. She lay there, with tears flowing from her eyes._

_Mikan lay there, with fear consuming her heart._

_She had been there for around three days. She didn't know who her kidnapper was, but she knew of his intention. It was not because of her family, he assured her. And also not of money. It was because she was the bait to capture Hyuuga Natsume._

_She was never maltreated by the man. He made her eat, even if she didn't want to. He never hurt her. The ropes binding her weren't even tight. But the fact that she was being used to get revenge on her beloved was worse than any physical pain that could happen to her. Her lover's sake was what she thought of more than hers._

_Suddenly, she heard gunfire. The shouts of the men got through to her. She curled her body, trying to shut out the horrible sounds, and hoping that none of her saviors would get hurt. And also praying that he won't be harmed by the criminal._

"_Hyuuga Natsume, I'll kill you!" the man screamed. Then there was a single gunshot._

_And then, everything became silent._

_The only thing she could hear was her own fast heartbeat. Thoughts ran through her mind. Did someone get hurt by that bullet? Was it that man, or was it Natsume?_

_Then she heard the footsteps. She heard the door banging open. She felt someone take off her blindfold, and untie the ropes. The light streaming in from the corridor blinded her, but she didn't need to see who was the man hugging her close._

"_Natsume…" she whispered, as the salty liquid spilled from her eyes. She felt the hug get tighter, and she heard him reply, "There's no need to fear. Mikan. Nobody will hurt you anymore."_

"_That…that is not what I feared about. I feared about your safety more than mine. It was you he was after, Natsume."_

"_I know, I know. But he will never touch me. He will never touch us, nor hurt us. I promise you that, Mikan. We will never be apart," he softly said._

_But that was not true. The darkness both experienced during that crisis, the pain; it never disappeared. Their love for each other became the sword against them, and they feared that something, someone, would be able to hurt them again. And it forced them to a decision that hurt them more than anything else._

_A month later they broke off._

"Mikan."

"Hmm?"

"You're daydreaming again."

Mikan started, and looked around to see Koko staring at her. She flushed, and quickly turned away, while saying, "I am not."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and said, "As if. I told you, you can't fool me."

He then got out of the car, and proceeded to her side to open the door. He added, "If you weren't daydreaming, then you would have realized we're already here, and you would have burst out of the car and into the house, much to Hotaru's irritation. But, as I do not have any energy to fight with you, I won't be asking anything more."

He gave her another of his signature smile, and told her, "So, shall we go in?"

He got a playful punch and a grin as a reply.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys liked it! Please review! Thanks! :D<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**I almost forgot that I was posting this. Sorry! I am so busy nowadays with my academics.**

**Well, better late than never. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 8-Paris<p>

The moment Mikan stepped into the garden of the Nogi property, she was engulfed in the arms of two children-the Nogi fraternal twins, Rin and Ryuu. They were two –year old children, with Rin, the girl, born two minutes before Ryuu. Both have their father's hair color and their mother's eyes. But it wasn't only their eyes that they got from their mother. Unfortunately for Ruka, the twins also inherited their mother's personality.

Though both love Mikan; and it was a good thing since she was their godmother. They didn't bully her, nor were they cold towards her. Whenever she visits, she gives time to play with them. Aside from that, they also love the clothes she made for them. So they always make it to a point to wear them whenever she's there.

When they were pried off Mikan by their mother, both spoke the same thing. "Auntie Mikan, why didn't you visit us for a month?"

"I'm very sorry for that, Rin, Ryuu," she said, while giving them an apologetic smile, "Auntie got busy last month."

"And I'm sure she'll be busier for the next few months," Hotaru added, with a hint of vexation on her voice. Her best friend raised an eyebrow at her, which she returned with a glare. Koko, who had only been watching, decided to step in and say, "Well, little ones, why don't we play?"

"Hai, Uncle Koko!"

The ladies watched as he played with the twins. After a long silence, Hotaru decided to break it. She said, "You met her today?"

"Yup. They're a cute couple, right, Hotaru?" Mikan sipped the tea prepared for them. This time, it was Hotaru who raised her eyebrow. The blackmail queen said, "And to think that that was what most people described the two of you when you were together."

And then she added, in a more serious tone, "Yeah, they're cute. But just cute. When it was the two of you, it was beautiful."

"Pity it wasn't the happy ending?" Mikan asked quietly, trying not to betray the pain. Then there was another stretch of silence, which, once again, Hotaru broke. She said, "No, because I believe it still can be."

Mikan looked at her, with a look so complex her best friend couldn't even comprehend it. And then she smiled sadly, and told her, "Well, I'll let you dream. I, after all, also happen to have a boyfriend. The chances of that happening are almost zero."

Hotaru was about to reply, but the twins interrupted their conversation. "Auntie Mikan," the two simultaneously said, "Have you met Uncle Natsume's bimbo?"

Mikan, shocked, only asked, "Why are you calling her bimbo? That's not nice. Where did you get that?"

"Mommy."

Koko guffawed, as she turned to her best friend with disbelief on her face. "You let your children hear such words? What does Ruka say about this?"

"It's better if they hear it from me, rather than from the outside. At least they know what it means. BUT I do tell them not to use it. And my husband doesn't have a _say _ in this. This is how I raise my children, he should deal with it, or else…"

Mikan stared at her, as Koko was almost rolling on the ground laughing. Seeing that there was no point arguing about that, she decided to turn to the twins and chastise them, by saying, "Rin, Ryuu, never let me catch you speaking such words. She is not your uncle's bimbo, she is your uncle's fiancée. Are we clear?"

Hearing the serious tone of her voice, the two children nodded their heads and replied, "Yes ma'am."

"Auntie, I have another question," Rin said. Ryuu then continued her words. "We were actually wondering, why are you always in Paris?"

"Where is Paris, anyway? Mommy always says that the reason why you're usually not here is because you're there."

Koko, who had just recovered, was the one who replied. "Paris is a place far from here. And the reason why she's usually there is because it is where her treasures are." And then he gave a suggestive wink, which, fortunately for Mikan, Hotaru didn't see.

But Hotaru did hear his words. "Treasures? Not something I'd use to call fashion shows and related things."

"Hotaru, he's just kidding. I'm a fashion designer, and Paris is the center of fashion. So there's nothing else that can be the reason as to why I'm always there, don't you think?"

But before her best friend could answer, she turned to the twins, and said cheerfully, "Well, why don't we play for a while?"

"Hai, Auntie!" they enthusiastically replied.

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><p><strong>Please review! :D<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Two chapters in one day to make up for the time I didn't post. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 9-Sister-in-law<p>

"What a surprise," Mikan said, as she watched her visitor enter her office. A smile was playing on her lips. She stood up, and extended her arms, while saying, "So, what can I do for you, Miss Aoi Hyuuga? A bridesmaid dress worthy of a bride?"

Aoi gave a pout as a reply, after she hugged her brother's ex. "Yeah right," she said, "I'm not the one getting married, and that won't happen in the next three or four years, so there's no need for the bride part."

Mikan raised an eyebrow at her. She offered her friend a seat, and then ordered Shizuka to bring some tea and biscuits. Then her lips formed a sly smile, and said, "Well, I guess your boyfriend would be sad to hear that."

"I don't have a boyfriend right now. And to add, I'm not going to be the bridesmaid, even if it is my brother's wedding. Well, as long as it's _her_ who is the bride."

The brunette raised both of her eyebrows. For a few moments she stared at the raven-haired girl, who was just smiling back at her. During that silence, Shizuka came in and served the drinks and food.

Mikan sipped her tea daintily, and then spoke. "Looks like somebody cannot accept the fact that her brother is getting married."

"I cannot accept the fact he's marrying _that girl_," the younger girl corrected. She played with a biscuit, but when she spoke next, she looked straight into Mikan's face. "But if it was _you_ who he was marrying, I would not only be glad to accept that part for the wedding. I would be _very ecstatic_. I would be so glad to have such a sister-in-law."

The designer let out a laugh, and looked so amused by her words. She said, "Does your brother know you still haven't gotten over the fact we're not together anymore?"

Aoi had a Cheshire's grin on her face, and replied, "What, you think just because I haven't talked with you about it for three years does it mean that I'll stop thinking about it. I didn't talk to you at all. Doesn't that seem that in fact, I was annoyed and I didn't want to talk to you?"

Mikan mimicked her expression, and told her, "Nope. I knew you cannot resist me. The only reason why we didn't get to communicate was because I became so busy that I wasn't able to go out with you guys."

"Oh really? Then why is it that you have time to visit Hotaru-sempai and Ruka-sempai? They're the only ones who know that you and Koko-san are together, so I guess you had time to visit them. And also, I always hear the twins talk about you."

The older woman turned into serious mode, and answered, "Look, Aoi. Get over it. Just accept that your brother and I are over what happened, and that he is marrying another girl, and that I have a boyfriend right now."

"I don't think I'd ever get over this. And for your information, it's not only me. Our group of friends, my parents; they don't like the fact nii-san's marrying that girl. We're just keeping quiet about it in front of brother. But honestly, we were so hopeful that you and nii-san would get back together and stay together forever."

Mikan was about to retort back when suddenly, the door banged open, and in came Koko, with his usual carefree smile. For a few moments, the two women stared at him, as he looked back and forth at them. Then he grinned, and said, "Well, well, nice to see you here, Aoi. In fact, it's nice to see you again after three years. What are you doing here? Getting a bridesmaid dress worthy of a bride?"

Aoi pouted, and said, "Why do I need to answer that crazy question twice today?"

"Oh, so Mikan asked the same question, huh. I guess she's getting the hang of teasing other people. That means I'm a good teacher!" Koko mused, as he sat beside his girlfriend. The younger woman watched them talk, and a sudden thought occurred to her, and she voiced it out.

"Hey, Koko-san, what if Mikan-neesan realizes that she still loves Natsume-niisan? Will you give her up to him?"

He looked at her straight, his grin gone. Aoi could see complex emotions in his eyes, and she quite regretted asking. Then he replied in a very serious tone.

"And why should I give her up to an idiot who left her once already?"

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><p><strong>I love Koko, but sometimes I think he's jumping all over the place. Once I get to fixing this story, I'll make the chapters longer, and fix the flow. Meanwhile, sorry about it.<strong>

Please review! :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Just a bit more...and this semester has finally come to an end! Sadly, I need to take summer classes, so...Torture.**

**Another flashback chapter! :D**

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><p>Chapter 10-Mistake<p>

_The sound of the wedding bells echoed throughout the place. Cheers for the newly wedded couple echoed throughout the churchyard, as they got out of the sacred building. Sakura petals fell beautifully down to the ground, adding more to the romantic feel._

_Two people stood a little farther than the others, both with a complex smile on their faces. One of them, a raven-haired guy, turned to his brunette companion, and said, "You did a good job on Hotaru's dress. Ruka can hardly take his eyes of her."_

_Mikan looked at him with narrowed eyes, and replied, "So that's only a good job?"_

"_Yeah, it's only a good job," Natsume replied teasingly. As a result, he got a playful punch. They turned back to watching their best friends. The awkward silence that was between them resumed._

"_I'm so happy for them," she murmured. He glanced at her, and saw the sweet smile with a hint of sadness on her lips. It made his heart ache to see and hear her like that. He whispered back, "Me too. Everybody's happy for them, anyway."_

_They looked at each other, and saw in each other's eyes the unspoken words; the pain, the longing, the love. For a few moments they gazed at each other, until she looked away, while saying, "I need to go to the reception area before the Hotaru does, so that I can fix her up in the next gown as fast as I can. See you later."_

_Then she went away, leaving him alone, as she did before._

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><p><em>She was standing in the garden, under a sakura tree. Her eyes gazed on the twinkling diamonds against the dark velvet sky. Her mind was full of thoughts that bring her both happiness and pain.<em>

"_Mikan," a whisper woke her from her reverie, and she looked around to see who spoke. She saw Natsume walk unsteadily towards her. Immediately, she went near him, and tried to steady him, while saying, "What are you doing here, Natsume? And are you already drunk?"_

_His weight was more than she can bear, and so, they fell on the soft grass. As she sat up, she heard him say her name softly again. She looked at him, and saw in his eyes the very things she was thinking of before he appeared._

_He sat up, grabbed both her shoulders, and murmured, "Mikan, do you still love me?"_

_She tried to pry his hands off her, while replying, "Natsume, I don't think-"_

_Her words got cut off as he pressed his lips gently on hers. At first, taken by surprise, she froze; but as moments passed, she responded._

_At the back of her mind, she knew it was wrong to give him hope; but she didn't mind at that time. All she wanted was to express her feelings, and to give herself up to him._

_It was the biggest mistake she ever did._

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><p><em>Mikan entered the bar with her head flying somewhere she was not looking at where she was going, it was no surprise that she bumped into someone. Luckily, and also unluckily, that someone was a friend. It was Koko.<em>

"_Hey, Mikan. I'm surprised to see you here," he greeted, as he steadied her. She looked up at him, and he saw the tears in her eyes. Immediately, with a voice full of concern, he asked, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"_

_His voice woke her up, and she recognized him. She gently pushed him away, and then wiped the tears falling down her cheeks. "Koko," she whispered, "What are you doing here?"_

"_That is my question. What are you doing here, crying?" he asked in a serious tone. "It's about Natsume, right? After so many years, you two met again at the wedding. Something was bound to happen. Something did happen, am I right? You're acting weirdly these past few weeks."_

"_It's nothing. It's not that," she replied. She avoided his gaze, and it made him more suspicious. She tried to step forward, hoping that he would give way to her, but he didn't. Instead, he caught her arms, and forced her to look at him._

"_Mikan," he whispered, "If there's one person who can see you through, it is not Hotaru, nor Natsume. It is me. We both know that. Ever since we were young it was always me who helped you through these kinds of problems, because I understand you better than you do. We have both acknowledged this ability of mine. Now tell me, what happened?"_

_She looked away again, and bit her lip. Tears started forming in her eyes again. Would she trust him with her secret, or would she keep it all to herself? She knew she wouldn't succeed with the latter. She needed somebody to help her cover it up._

_She drew a shaky breath, and murmured, "Koko, will you be my boyfriend?"_

_She looked at him, and saw the surprise on his face. She immediately regretted asking, and was about to tell him not to answer anymore, when understanding flashed through his face. He took a deep breath, and with conviction, he replied._

"_Fine, I'll be your boyfriend."_

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><p><em><em>**Please review! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**I posted this chapter earlier, as I won't have an Internet connection this Friday. :D**

**This is the longest chapter! I'm in a hurry, so I wasn't able to check for errors. Sorry!**

**Enjoy reading!**

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><p>Chapter 11-Attack<p>

Mikan stared at the shoes her companion was holding. It was a white bejeweled strappy pair of high-heeled shoes. Then she said, "Why not try it out? I think I can better imagine that with the dress. But it's beautiful on its own, Miku. No wonder it got your attention."

Miku gave her a big grin, and replied, "Oh well, I just want the most beautiful for my wedding."

They were at a mall, looking for the shoes for the wedding. It was Mikan who Miku invited to come with her, because, according to her, it was only the designer who knows what's best for her and the dress.

And yes, in just a matter of weeks, they've became friends. After all, Mikan wasn't holding any grudge against her former flame's bride-to-be, though there were times when the latter talks about her relationship with Natsume that Mikan feels a pang of jealousy.

"Most beautiful doesn't always mean most perfect, dear. Meaning, those shoes are very very pretty, but it may just be too much for your dress. We do not want to outshine the dress, do we?" Mikan said, as she turned her eyes on a pair of black lace wedges.

"Yeah yeah, I know. 'What we want is something that will compliment your dress'," Miku quoted, as she slipped on the shoes. Then she looked up to see her friend checking out some shoes. "Hey, I'm finished. What do you think?"

The designer riveted her stare to the shoes once again, and answered, "As I expected, it won't look good with the dress."

Then both women looked around as they heard the door of the shop open. They saw a man in a long coat enter. His head was bowed, and his face was hidden by the hat he wore. He had many scarves on his neck, thus hiding his lower face too.

Miku felt confused as to why a man like him would enter such a shop where most things are for females, but she shrugged the feeling off. '_Maybe he's here to buy a present,' _she thought, as she went back to looking for another pair of shoes to try on.

Mikan, meanwhile, initially felt the same as Miku. But when she got a glimpse on the man's wrist, which he immediately put into a pocket the moment he saw her look, she felt her heart beat fast. Suspicion and fear clouded her mind. She never took her eyes off him from that time, and observed his movements closely.

"How about this, Mikan?" her friend said, as she felt a tug on the sleeve of her shirt. The designer glanced at the shoes, and at the exact moment, the man pulled out a gun and pointed it to the blonde-haired girl.

"Look out, Miku!" she exclaimed, as she pushed her friend aside. At the same time, a bang was heard. A searing pain crossed her arm as she felt the bullet graze it. Thankfully, both women didn't lose their balance, and so were able to look straight into their assailant. Meanwhile, they heard the saleswoman scream in fright.

Mikan stepped in front of her friend, ignoring the pain. She felt her Miku shiver in shock and fear that she herself was experiencing, but which she successfully hid. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

"Step aside, little girl. You are not what I need. I just want your companion," the man gruffly said. Then he raised the gun towards the sales woman, and told her, "Don't you dare call the police. Or else you won't get out of here alive."

"The others in the mall have already heard the gunshot, dimwit," Mikan said sharply. She took a step forward, seemingly unafraid of the gun that was pointing at her chest. "And you won't kill anybody except one person in this world. Advertently, that is, because the last time you did such a rampage you killed two policemen."

The gun shook, as the man himself was shaking because of shock and realization. He whispered roughly, "You?"

"Yes, me. You do know that I can pinpoint who you are even if I don't see your face, right? The tattoo on your wrist is enough."

He wouldn't stop from shaking, and for a few moments he stared at her. The women still couldn't see much of his face as the shadow of his hat covered it, but they could all see the bloodshot eyes. And then suddenly, he put the gun down and ran away, leaving the women and startling passersby.

"Miku? Miku, are you alright?" Mikan broke the silence. She looked around to see that her friend on the floor, cowering in fear. The designer turned to the saleslady and shouted, "Come on, snap out of it! Call the police!"

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><p>"Natsume~" Koko called out as he entered his friend's exquisite condo. The latter, who was drinking some coffee while doing something on his laptop, turned around to see him and say, "I know I told you you can come anytime, but I'm busy right now."<p>

"Eh," Koko pouted, which elicited laughter from the other guy. Natsume said, "You're acting so childish, Koko."

"Well, can't help it. As of today, I'm all alone, since your fiancée took my girlfriend away. So I figured you're lonely too, and that's why I came. Let's have fun, ne, Natsume?"

Before Natsume could answer, he heard the ringing of his phone. When he saw the caller, a puzzled look came across his face, which Koko didn't miss. "Who is it?"

"Mikan," he answered, and took the call and had it on loudspeaker.

"Natsume, do you know the mall where we are? If you do, then come over quickly," Mikan's sharp voice came through. The two guys exchanged glances, and then Koko asked, "Why? What happened?"

"Is that you, Koko? Oh good, come over too. We were attacked by a guy with a gun," she replied, her tone never changing. Natsume's eyes widened, and he felt his heart beat fast and his mouth go dry. Meanwhile, his friend took his phone, stood up, and said, "Okay, we're on the way. We'll be there in five minutes."

He ended the call and looked over at the raven-haired guy. "What are you waiting for? Let's go! I know the place, so you can just follow me."

When they got to the mall they were directed to the office of the manager. There they saw the two women, Miku sitting, Mikan leaning on a wall, surrounded by policemen and security guards. The latter, who was facing the window, saw them come in through the reflection on the glass.

"Mikan, are you okay?" Koko said, as he approached her. She didn't even budge from her position; she just kept staring on the glass, watching Natsume hug and comfort Miku. She felt a pang of jealousy and pain. Then she spoke, "I'm fine, don't worry about me. It's nothing."

"No, you're not fine," he sternly said. That made her look at him with a glare, and replied, "If you already knew that I'm not fine, why did you still ask?"

He was taken aback by her reaction, and for a while, he was speechless. She, meanwhile, returned back to watching the other couple on their reflection in the glass. Her eyes didn't lose that hard look in them.

Only Miku's sobs and the words of the bodyguards explaining was what could be heard in the room. But when an officer asked how the assailant looks like, nobody could answer, not even Miku.

Except Mikan.

"He has a tattoo on his wrist," she said, with a slight hint of anger only Natsume and Koko were able to catch. She then faced them. She continued, "That's the only thing I could remember, as I was focusing on the gun he was holding. I didn't see his face much to give clear descriptions."

Then Natsume spoke. "Officer, let's talk about this later. I would like all of you to go out of this room, except Mikan, and Koko. Ah, and please bring Miku to a hospital. I'll follow as soon as I can."

But Miku resisted, and in the end, Natsume was forced to let her stay. When everybody but them was gone, he turned to his former girlfriend. His eyes had this very serious look that was equal to Mikan's. Then he whispered, "He has a tattoo on his wrist, huh."

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><p><strong>Thanks to all who reviewed, made this their favorite story, etc.! :)<strong>

**Please review! :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**Oh. I just realized that we're halfway through the story. And that I should have said that last chapter. =))**

**Yeah, I think this story's pace is fast. and I still haven't edited it yet... :( so sorry for anything that makes you confused or whatever.**

**Enjoy the chapter! ( I kind of like this chapter, by the way. You'll understand soon :P)**

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><p>Chapter 12- Excuses<p>

Silence hung heavily in the air. It amplified every sound coming from outside the room.

"I thought he was dead," Mikan softly spoke. Her voice was still laced with anger. "Nobody told me he got away."

Koko then stepped in front of her, so that it was only at his eyes she was looking. He sternly, but at the same time gently, said, "It's because we don't want to add more to your worries then. And we thought he would stop."

"What?" she asked incredulously. She stepped sideways, as to be able to see Natsume, who hung his head in guilt. "You thought he would stop? Why would he? He still hasn't gotten his revenge! And he didn't get caught. Why would he stop?"

"Mikan," her boyfriend quietly said. She was fuming mad that she didn't hear the plea in his voice. She glared at the two men. Then she said, "Look. You might be thinking 'How could she know what he really is thinking?' I'll tell you how. I was there, in that dark room, blindfolded and bound. I was there listening to him say that he would get his revenge, whenever it may come. I was there listening to him repeat that a hundred times. How would I not know!"

Natsume looked up at her, and he regretted doing so. He saw her face full of anguish, anguish that he had not seen for a very long time. He felt a stabbing pain in his heart. Then, while still avoiding her eyes, he told her, "See? That is the very reason why we wanted you to just forget about him."

"Excuse me? And how could I forget when there might be instances like this again? I may not be his target anymore, but I was his victim. I AM his victim! Do you think the trauma is gone just like that? You think it made me happy when I realized it is Miku he is after now? "

"Look, I'm sorry, Mikan, but-"

"No. No more excuses, Natsume. I'm tired of those. I'm tired, period," she said, and then she turned around, got her coat, and was about to walk out the door, when her boyfriend caught her right arm. She looked back at him, ready to yell, when she noticed he wasn't looking at her face. He was examining her arm.

"You got hurt," he angrily said, as he tore the sleeve of her blouse, "And you never said anything about it."

"What!" Natsume exclaimed. He walked towards her, and saw the wound. Mikan, meanwhile, was struggling to escape Koko's grasp. She retorted, "It's just a small and shallow wound. I can disinfect it at the car; there is a first aid kit there."

But the two guys wouldn't let her go. Instead, Natsume grabbed her other arm, forced her to sit on a chair, and attended her wound. He felt her flinch when he put on the disinfectant, so he tried to be gentler on applying it.

As he bandaged it, he heard her say, "What a waste of bandage. It's just a shallow wound!"

He looked up at her, and saw anger burning in her eyes. But he also noticed that the look was softer than what was in her eyes a few minutes ago. He rolled his eyes at her, and gave her his signature smirk. He said, "Well, we don't want it to be a scar, right? It will ruin the famous Mikan Yukihara's beautiful body."

She blushed at his comment, and he saw it. When he finished, she immediately stood up, and without looking at him, said, "We'll be going then. See you around. Let's go, Koko."

She then grabbed her boyfriend's arm, and rushed out of the room.

"Stop grinning like stupid, Koko," she said in a voice full of irritation, the moment they were a few stores away. "You look like a Cheshire cat. And everybody's staring at you."

"But I can't help it," he said, as he walked at a leisurely pace. "You two looked so sweet and cute back there. Like a couple who just had a fight, and made up quickly."

"Koko!"

"Hai, hai, madam, I'll stop teasing you already," he said, but the grin on his face didn't disappear. He mused, "What is he thinking right now? Maybe he's thinking about the sparks he felt when he touched you. Maybe-"

"KOKO!"

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><p>Natsume stared at his hands. He had just dropped Miku at her house, and explained to her parents what happened. Now, in the seclusion of his room, he stared at his hands, and thought of what had occurred at the mall.<p>

He could still feel the tingling in his hands. The moment he touched her, it was there, and it never disappeared, even when he held Miku's hands. After so many years, he felt it again. And that wasn't the only thing he felt the moment their skin touched.

Everything he didn't feel when it was Miku he was holding, he felt at that short span of time he was tending her wound.

Her words then echoed in his mind.

_No more excuses, Natsume. I'm tired of those._

He grasped his head. He felt so confused on what to feel, on what to do.

Because he knew marrying Miku was just an excuse for him to not show Mikan his true feelings.

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><p><strong>OOOOOOOOOOHHHH...=))<strong>

******To everyone who has been following my story, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! It makes me so happy that you like the story (so far), even though it is quite messy.**

**I'll try to update next week. if not, the week after next. :D**

**Please review! **


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm sorry for not updating for a month or so. I had summer classes, and they're taking most of my time. But to make up for, I'll be posting three chapters for three consecutive days, starting today. but after that, I might just update every two weeks again.**

**Thanks for all who's still supporting me, anyway! I feel so happy about it. If I could, I would post everyday!**

**This is a short chapter, and if you're getting tired of Miku separating Natsume and Mikan, well... :D**

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><p>Chapter 13-Fitting<p>

"Miss Mikan, the client is here," the intercom crackled. It woke Mikan from her shallow nap. She raised her head to look at the antique grandfather clock at the corner of her work room. She took a deep breath, and despite being tired, replied, "Lead her to the fitting room. I'll be there in a few minutes."

But for a few moments she didn't move from her comfortable seat. She just sat there, her head resting on the back of the chair, trying to clear her mind and calm her heart. The accident had happened a week before, but it still wasn't gone from her mind.

And facing the person who was with her that time would just open up the wounds.

But she knew she couldn't do anything. If she was to keep up the pretense that she wasn't that shaken by what happened, she needed to do this. And so she steeled herself to stand up and go to the fitting room.

"Mikan! How are you?" was the greeting Miku immediately gave her the moment she entered the room. The designer gave her friend her best fake smile, and replied, "I've been so busy these past days, so I'm not really doing well physically. But if you're asking emotionally, I believe I'm doing well."

"If you're not sleeping well, which I think you are, then that's not good for you physically too," Miku said. Mikan just smiled. She sat on the seat in front of her, and said, "Oh well. I think we'll have to wait for a few minutes, as Shizuka is still getting the dress from the other room."

Her friend's smile grew, while saying, "I'm so excited to see it!"

A few moments of silence passed, which made Mikan feel relieved. Then, suddenly, Miku broke it and asked, "Mikan, what did you mean by those words you said last week? The time when you and Natsume were fighting."

The designer shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew that she couldn't escape this, she couldn't avoid answering. Thinking quickly, she replied, "Well, you see, that guy already attacked before."

"That's pretty obvious."

Mikan's cheeks flushed, as she realized her mistake. She stuttered, "Y-yeah, w-well…it's quite difficult to explain. But fine, for you I'll try."

"You see, I've known Natsume since we were young. We grew up together, along with Ruka and Hotaru. That's why we're the closest. That is, then."

Miku raised an eyebrow, and said, "Then? Hmmm…if you're really going to think about it, you and Natsume don't seem so close now. So, what caused your fallout? Was it that?"

Mikan looked at her hands. "Yeah, it was that. It happened when we were in our senior year of high school. I was the closest person to him then. I was the perfect candidate for ransom. Hurting me would hurt Natsume."

"But what is his reason?"

Mikan looked into Miku's eyes, and replied, "He wants to get revenge on Natsume." And then she continued. "At that time, despite Natsume's age, he was already allowed to work for his family's company. And it just so happened that he trampled on that guy. But he had every reason to do so, anyway. That guy is corrupting his company."

She saw the change in her friend's expression, but she didn't stop. "After the incident, everybody got stricter with me. I couldn't go out without any guards. I didn't like it. It felt like I was caged. Natsume knew it too. That's why he thought breaking most of his bonds with me was for the best. We just decided to let go of our closeness."

"And as far as I knew, he decided not to let anybody get close to him ever again. So I think you really are so unique, Miku. You changed his mind."

There was a trace of bitterness in her voice that Miku didn't miss, but she decided not to ask. After all, she was already unsettled by the ideas going through her head. But she returned the compliment with a small smile.

An awkward silence ensued, until Shizuka entered, bringing the dress. Both women stood up.

"It's so beautiful…" Miku whispered. She turned to smile at Mikan, who smiled back and said, "I'm glad you like it. Well then, let's get you in this, so we'll know if there must be some adjustments."

But a bad feeling kept coming back to Miku.

She felt that she would end up not using that beautiful wedding dress.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter is one of the chapters I want to change so much. Not the idea, but the flow. For me, it's too short. But as of now, I still haven't thought of how I will change it, so I'll just post this as I first wrote it.**

**I think this chapter will at least clear one problem, but create another. Have fun (?) reading!**

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><p>Chapter 14-Unveiled<p>

It was a cold and gloomy day. The clouds were gray, and the rain fell hard. People passed by, huddled in long thick coats and big umbrellas. They all tried to avoid the small puddles on the sidewalk.

Miku watched them pass by from the café's window. Every now and then, she let out a sigh. The weather, she thought, got her mood right. She lightly tapped her fingernails against the table, humming softly as she did.

Then suddenly her eyes widened a little, and she stiffened in her seat. The person she was waiting for just stepped out of the car and into the rain, not minding the water droplets hitting him as he ran. She immediately fixed her poise, and waited for her guest to enter the place. When he did, she waved at him and smiled.

"I'm glad you were able to meet with me, Koko-san," she said, as she motioned for him to sit. Koko gave her a grin, as he replied, "Well, I heard the urgency in your voice. And I am not particularly busy today, so it's fine."

She smiled at him, and then turned her gaze at the cup of tea in front of her. Sensing that this meeting would take a while, Koko ordered coffee first. Silence ensued. She didn't know how to break it, because she knew that once she broke it, she must go straight to the reason of that meeting.

But she didn't need to worry, because he himself said it.

"You want to know what's really going on between Natsume and Mikan, don't you?"

She looked up, and saw his usually happy expression turn serious. She let out a sigh, gave him a sad smile, and said, "It doesn't take much of the psychiatrist in you to know that, right?"

A small smiled played on his lips, as he replied, "I'm afraid that's right. So, are you sure you would like to know the truth?"

"Koko-san, I already know that something's going on since the very start. I felt it more when we got engaged." SHe paused, as if thinking on how to say the words carefully. She continued, "Because, the truth is, it wasn't him who asked. It was me. I was the one who popped that very important question. We just didn't tell you because we know the consequences."

She giggled when she saw his reaction. Koko's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open. For a few moments he was speechless, until he managed to blurt out, "He…you…what?"

"Exactly the reaction we would get, if we told you the truth. Anyways, for me that moment wasn't that happy. Yes, he agreed to get married, but the fact that it was me who proposed and not him; it made me feel that he was not into this relationship. That I was just an excuse," she said.

He watched her daintily take a sip. Her lips formed a small smile, but her eyes were sad, but at the same time, determined. He realized that beneath that look of pain was a woman of courage and strength. Someone who wanted to know the truth despite the anguish it would bring.

He told her.

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><p>Ruka stared at the pictures his wife spread on the table. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.<p>

"Is this…for real?"

Hotaru gave him a stern look, and replied, "Ruka, I am the one who got these pictures. Do you think they're not real?"

He gulped. He mentally slapped himself for being stupid. Of course, whatever information Hotaru had was absolute. He stammered, "Uh…y-yeah, I know. It's…it's just an expression of disbelief. I never knew…"

"No one knew," she said bitterly, "No one knew except for her. Maybe Koko too, as he was the one who hinted about it. Not even Natsume knows, I think. If he did, everything would be different now."

He looked up at her, and saw the sadness in her eyes. Of course, it was painful for her to know that her best friend kept a very big secret from her. So he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"So now what are you planning to do?"

Hotaru looked up at him, and said determinedly, "Simple. I ask her about it."

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><p><strong>So that's the question. What will Miku do, now that she knows the truth? What is it that Hotaru and Ruka discovered?<strong>

**Please review! You reaction, suggestion, etc., tell me. :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**Finally! Free of exams and lectures for two weeks or so, and that means only one thing! I'm updating Every day, or every other day! YAY! After all, there's just like, five or so more chapters!**

**And so, to get on with the fun, here's Chapter 15!**

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><p>Chapter 15-Selfish<p>

Natsume tried to focus on his driving, but he couldn't. He simply just had so many things going on in his mind. He just hoped that he would get to his destination unharmed.

"_No more excuses, Natsume."_

He shook his head, trying to get those words out of his mind. He succeeded, but another sentence came up to haunt him.

"_Natsume, I think we need to talk."_

He would be lying if he said that he doesn't know what those words meant. And it made the dread he was feeling grow worse. Because Miku never said those words in such a sad tone.

He shook his head once more, and finally, he was able to focus. He realized that he was not so far from Miku's apartment.

He pressed down the accelerator.

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><p>Miku paced back and forth. She knew that what she was about to do was the right thing, but she couldn't help but feel nervous and confused. Even if she always replayed her conversation with Koko.<p>

"_If…if I don't break up with Natsume, what will happen?" She asked him. She tried to stop the shaking of her hands, but she didn't succeed, so the cup of tea, which she was holding, rattled against the table. Koko watched her with pity._

_He placed his hand on hers, steadying them, and replied, "Will you be happy?"_

_The tears she was trying to hold back spilled over. Through her sobs she heard him say, "It's you who should decide. And if you decide, I only have one advice: be selfish. Think only of your happiness. Listen only to your heart."_

She let out a sigh. She did want to be selfish; she did want only to be happy. But she couldn't hear what her heart wants. She couldn't stop from thinking of other people's feelings, especially those two's feelings.

Well, she decided, she would just go along with her instincts.

The ring of the doorbell woke her up from her thoughts. She composed herself, and walked to the door to let him in. she gave him a smile, and said, "Hey. Glad you came."

He returned her smile with a tentative one, and replied, "Why, you thought I won't?"

She shook her head, and then asked, "Would you like some tea? Or coffee?"

"I'll go for coffee," he answered. She went to the kitchen, and as she prepared their drinks, she organized her thoughts. Soon, she returned with the drinks, and laid them on the center table. Then silence fell on them.

Natsume decided to break it. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"You haven't touched your coffee," Miku said, trying to put off the conversation as much as possible. She just wanted the tension in the air disappear, but when she noticed that he wasn't moving, she decided to go straight to the point.

"I already know what's going on between you and Mikan."

A frown immediately formed on his lips. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. She said, "It wasn't Mikan who told me. In fact, she tried to hide it too. She said that you were just close friends, when the truth is, your relationship was very much more than friends."

"That was the past, Miku," he said, after he let out a sigh. Then he got his cup and took a sip, trying to avoid her eyes. When he looked up, he was surprised by the expression she held.

She was smiling, albeit sadly. Her eyes were calm, and there was something else he couldn't recognize. It was the last expression he ever thought she would have at that moment. Then he heard her say softly, "Now I understand."

"Understand what?"

She raised an eyebrow, and then she realized that she spoke out loud. But she didn't reply immediately. Instead she just leaned on the chair's arm rest, resting her cheek on her hand. She waited for a few moments, obviously choosing her words carefully, before breaking the silence.

"Someone once told me that I should be selfish. That I should only think about my happiness," she paused, as she looked at him straight in the eye. Then she continued, "And that made me reevaluate. Rethink. Surely, never letting you go is selfish of me, right?"

He looked back at her through confused eyes. He couldn't see where she was going, and so he just waited for her to continue.

"Now I understand. This," she replied, emphasis on every word, as she showed the engagement ring held between her thumb and forefinger, "Understand that this is not for me. Understand that you are not for me. Understand that I cannot make this mistake."

Silence followed her words. He stared at her, shock evident on his face. Then slowly, his gaze laid on the ring.

"So…you're letting go," he whispered. She sighed, and gave him a sad smile. "Yes, I am."

A tear fell down her cheek. Then some more followed. He clenched his fists as he watched those tears fall down her porcelain cheeks. He hung his head in shame; for, once again, he hurt another woman.

She knew exactly what he was thinking. So she stood up, walked towards him, and hugged him. Then she said, "Just because I'm not letting you go doesn't mean I'm selfish. In fact, it would be a sacrifice if I continue. I want to be selfish. I want to be happy. And I know I can never be that if I'm with you, Natsume."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Miku," he said softly, as he hugged her back. "I'm so sorry."

"There is no need to say that," she replied, "Nobody is to blame."

Because in their situation, everybody was at fault.

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><p><strong>I wanted to make this longer, but my mind's still drained from my summer classes. I wanted it to be more...hmmm...tearful? I think Miku's so...perfect, being so understanding and all, but maybe she just really loves Natsume so much that she'd rather let him go. =))<strong>

**Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**I just saw this...a few more and this story will have 100 reviews! I'm so happy! Keep on reviewing! :D**

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><p>Chapter 16-Reminisce<p>

_The sky was at its most blue, and the sun was at its brightest. The warm breeze ruffled the leaves of the Sakura tree, under which Natsume lay, savoring the peace._

_Then he heard familiar footsteps. A smirk appeared on his handsome features, as he opened an eye to see his girlfriend leaning over him. She had on an annoyed look, as she said sternly, "You skipped class again. Just because you're a genius, doesn't mean you're allowed to do that, you know."_

"_Hn. I don't care, Polka," he replied. His smirk grew wider as he watched her blush. She exclaimed, "And just because you are my boyfriend doesn't mean you're allowed to peek under my skirt, pervert!"_

"_I didn't peek. You always show it to me," he teased. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her down, before she could even protest._

"_Hey!" she exclaimed, as she lost her balance and fell on top of him. She scolded him, "That hurts! If you want me to lie beside you, you just need to tell me!"_

"_That would be boring," he replied, and then he stole a quick kiss. She blushed, and gave him a glare, as she pushed herself away from him to lie beside him._

_Silence engulfed them, as they both enjoyed the beauty of the day. Then she broke it, whispering, "Hey, Natsume. Do you think this will last?"_

_He looked at her, and his crimson eyes met her serious brown ones. He sighed, took her hand, and asked, "What, this peace?"_

"_No, I was talking about our relationship."_

_Silence followed her words. Then he sighed once more, squeezed her hand, and replied, "You shouldn't be thinking about things like that. Whether we'll last or not, we shouldn't really be worrying about it. Worrying about tomorrow will just put a strain on today. It's much better if we should just enjoy every moment we have together."_

_She gave him a smile, and said, "Yeah, you're right. As usual."_

_Then her expression changed. She exclaimed, "Oh, the girls and I just played a game of truth or dare."_

_He raised an eyebrow, and asked, "So what did they ask you, and what did you answer?"_

"_How do you know I went for truth?" she asked incredulously._

"_Because you're not courageous enough to just even say dare," he replied with a smirk. He received a playful punch and a pout, which made him laugh. She replied, "They asked me that if we were to have children, how many I would want. I told them it doesn't matter, but I would love to have fraternal twins. A boy and a girl, you know."_

"_And what would you name them?"_

_A thoughtful expression appeared on her features, and for several moments, she was quiet. Then she looked at him, and smiled, while saying, "I'll decide when I'm sure I'll have them!"_

"_Baka," he said, as he rolled his eyes, "And what makes you think that you'll be the only one to decide?"_

_Then he reached over to tickle her, not even stopping when she pleaded him to. Because her sweet laughter is as addictive as a drug._

Natsume woke up, with the laughter in his dreams still ringing in his ears. He shook his head, trying to fully wake himself, after all, he was still in his office, working. He saw the cup of coffee his secretary made for him before he fell asleep, and reached out for it, but then he realized it was already cold.

He stood up, stretching. He walked towards the floor to ceiling windows of his impressive office, and watched the city below bustling with activity, despite the setting sun.

Recently he had been this way, falling asleep and dreaming of the better times, since Miku broke off their engagement. It's been a week, and they had not spoken since, though they swore to still be friends. She went overseas the day after they talked.

And he had not said a word to anyone else but Ruka. Not even to Mikan, despite his bestfriend hinting that it would be good if they got back together. No, it won't be, and Natsume knew it too well. As long as that man was not in jail, nobody close to him would be safe.

And even if he was caught, Natsume would not easily go back with Mikan. He had hurt her so much, and he knew that too well. But what he would do, he did not know. At that moment everything was happening way too fast, and it left him confused.

A melody started playing in his mind, and then he realized it was actually his phone, which was on his desk.

He picked it up, and saw an unregistered number calling. Curious, he pressed the answer button, and brought the phone near his ear. Then his blood ran cold.

The peace under that blue sky and that cherry blossom tree never lasted.

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><p><strong>I actually tried to make this longer, but I can't. And I'm trying to slow down the pace, but I can't too. Unless I change the earlier chapters, which I am not planning to do yet.<strong>

**Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Yey, more than a hundred reviews! And so many people making this a favorite story of theirs. *tears of joy* **

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><p>Chapter 17-Caught<p>

Hotaru watched her best friend's face drain of color and her eyes widen, as she laid the photographs on the table between them. It was a reaction that she expected, so no look of surprise crossed the raven-haired woman's features.

That is, until the brunette's eyes turned very serious, and her lips pressed into a thin line, all in just a matter of seconds.

She looked at Mikan with shock. Then she looked at her husband, and saw an expression that mirrored hers. She turned back to Mikan, and saw that her expression changed once again. There was a bitter smile playing on her lips.

"I knew you'd be the first to find out," she said quietly. She picked one of the pictures, and looked at it dotingly. Then she continued, "And I won't be surprised if you're angry. Hotaru, I guess you got Koko's clue, huh?"

"Yeah, I-"

There she was cut off by a sudden sound. They all turned to see Natsume enter. He had a pained expression on his face, something that Mikan only saw once.

All color, if there was still some left, drained from Mikan's face. Her eyes widened once more. Surprise wasn't the only emotion in her eyes; mixed with it was anxiety and panic. But she didn't move from her position. Neither did her best friend.

Ruka, on the other hand, stood and walked towards Natsume, obviously trying to block the view from him. He tried to sound upbeat, as he greeted his friend, "Hey, Natsume! What are you doing here? Don't you have work?"

At the sound of her husband's voice, Hotaru started. She immediately reached for the photographs, but she froze when she heard Natsume say coldly, "There is no need to hide it, Hotaru. I already know."

Then he turned to Mikan, who avoided his eyes. She stammered, "H-how did you-"

"I learned about it in the worst situation possible," He replied, his voice full of pain. Then he recounted what happened back in his office.

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><p><em>"Hello, Natsume."<em>

_"You…" he whispered. He knew that voice; he could recognize it anywhere. After all, it was the voice of the person who hurt his Mikan. He clenched his fists tightly, as he said, "What do you want?"_

_A derisive laughter came from the other end, and it made him angrier. He repeated his question, only that he raised his voice higher, "What do you want?"_

_"What do I want? Isn't that question already a cliché? You, amongst many people, would know the best answer to that, don't you? And as usual, it's a bargain."_

_By his tone of speaking, Natsume could deduce something that made his heart beat faster and dread sink into his soul. He shouted, "What did you do to Mikan?"_

_Laughter once again reached his ears. His enemy, in a very amused tone, replied, "Oh no, it's not your beloved who is the other end of the bargain. Though they are a part of her, and a part of you too."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Oh, don't you know? So that Yukihara kept it from you, huh," the caller said tauntingly. He continued, "I guess I'll be the one to tell you then. I have your children, the fraternal twins Sakura and Sora."_

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><p>Silence.<p>

Shock-filled silence engulfed them all.

Just like how the blackest smoke snuffs out any light, the news snuffed out all the words from them.

Nobody moved. Only their heaving chests signified that they were still alive. Otherwise they could be easily mistaken as life-sized dolls.

That is, until Mikan turned to look at Natsume, trying to search for even the slightest doubt in his crimson eyes. And when she found none, tears fell down her cheeks.

And a scream shattered the silence.

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><p><strong>Yes! Yes yes yes, my dear readers. The thing that you all are thinking of is true. <strong>**And not only one, but they have two children. How fun is that?**

**Originally, they only have one child, but I changed it because...I don't know, I just think it's more fun if they're twins. Who agrees with me?**

**Please review! :D**


	18. Chapter 18

**Another short chapter. Don't worry, I'll be updating tomorrow morning again. I'm just too tired (I was shopping for almost the whole day) to edit this and another chapter, and try to make them longer. If I can't make the next chapter longer, then I'll be posting the next chapter. :D**

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><p>Chapter 18-Anger<p>

"Is Mikan going to be alright?" Ruka asked, as he saw his wife emerge from one of their guest rooms. Natsume stopped from his pacing, and looked at her expectantly. Hotaru gave them a reassuring nod, and replied, "She fell asleep. I think it's better if we discuss at the library, instead of here. She might wake up."

As they walked to other side of the mansion, she asked, "Have any of you told anybody about it?"

Ruka glanced sideways at his best friend, and when he realized that Natsume was barely listening, he decided to be the one to reply. He answered, "We've called Koko. He's on the way. He was shocked. As far as he knows, nobody aside from him, Mikan, her parents, and her grandfather knows about the twins. Even Tsubasa-sempai doesn't know about the twins."

"Well, it wasn't easy for me to find out too," Hotaru said. She sat on one of the big couches, with a thoughtful expression all over her features. She continued, "It means that he was watching them very closely, probably even after the first kidnapping incident. This is bad."

"I don't think so, Hotaru. This isn't bad, this is the worst."

That brought Natsume out from his reverie. His head shot up, and the look of utter despair in his eyes changed into that of pure anger, making his crimson eyes look like on fire. Soon the couple heard a crash, and they turned towards where Natsume was, with a fallen chair beside him.

"You'll pay for that," the Ice queen muttered, prompting the Bunny prince to give her a reproachful look. Then they watched him shake in fury.

"To whom is your anger for, Natsume? To my best friend, to that man, or to yourself?" Hotaru asked coldly. His blazing crimson eyes met with her icy violet ones. For a moment nobody spoke, while the two maintained their gazes.

Until Ruka decided to intervene. He tapped his friend's shoulders, and said, "Look, this won't do us any good at all. So let's break this fight, okay?"

"No, Ruka," his wife said, "This is not a fight. I am just helping your best friend realize how deep he got Mikan and himself into this mess."

"Hotaru! Stop it!"

Natsume, meanwhile, just plopped himself down a couch across Hotaru. The fire in his eyes were gone. He buried his hands on in his air, as he tried to hold back the tears. Then he said, in a quiet voice that carried across the room, "Damn it, Hotaru. You got me there."

A small smirk appeared on her lips, as she replied, "I always know where to get all of you, idiot."

He shook his head, obviously trying to compose himself. Then he said, "There's no point getting angry at Mikan. Yeah, I'm angry, but it's more like frustration when it's towards her. Towards that man…well, my anger is reasonable, and inevitable, isn't it?"

"But, in the end, it's always myself who I'm angry at. No, I believe angry is too soft a word. I'm furious at myself. I despise myself for being so lame, so weak, and not even able to protect the people most important to me. I hate it. And the situation right now just proves it. As of this moment, not even one solution entered my mind. For what am I called a genius, if I can't even think of something to save my children? What kind of father am I?"

"Natsume, you didn't even know the existence of your children until this afternoon," Ruka said comfortingly, "so it's no surprise that you still can't think straight. The shock is still there. And acting without thinking, which is something you've always been prone to, might just lead to bad results."

"He's right. We should not hurry," Hotaru said.

Outside, a certain brunette leaned on the door, listening at every word they uttered. Her pale complexion got paler each second that passed, but her eyes looked more determined. Then she unlatched herself, and silently walked towards the main door.

"_I'm sorry, guys, but unlike you, I can't just sit and wait."_

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>_  
><em>


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm still sleepy but I guess I need to keep my promise. :D**

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><p>Chapter 19-Exchange<p>

Mikan stared at the ominous building in front of her, feeling her resolve waver for a bit. But it was too late to back out now, especially when they had already seen her arrive. So she gathered all her courage, and walked towards the entrance, with determination filling her.

The moment she stepped inside, she was temporarily blinded by the bright lights. As so, she didn't see where he was, but she only heard him say, "Ah, welcome, Miss Mikan Yukihara, to my humble abode."

When her eyes finally adjusted, she let out a derisive snort, which didn't go unnoticed by him. He raised an eyebrow, to which she replied, "Humble abode? What part of this is humble? It makes me think if you really are financially incapacitated."

"Be careful with your words, Yukihara. You are on enemy's ground," he replied coldly. Indeed, she was on enemy's ground, which was lavishly furnished. But his reminder was enough to make her drop the façade and adopt a very serious look.

"Where are my twins?" she asked, in a voice laced with anger. It only made him smirk, as he replied, "You do not need to worry, they are fine. I still have my virtues; I do not hurt those who are innocent."

Her brown eyes turned into slits, as she retorted, "If you still have your virtues, then you wouldn't have kidnapped them in the first place, let alone touch them."

His smirk got wider. He replied, "Sometimes it's good to break those virtues, you know. Just how you two did, three years ago. So long as I achieve my goals."

"You sick bastard…" she muttered angrily, prompting him to laugh. She shouted, "Don't you dare compare me and Natsume to you, corrupt bastard!"

He didn't say a word. He only watched her stand in front of him, her whole body shaking in anger, her fists clenched tight, and her eyes burning. He tried to suppress the laughter, and he succeeded, just as easily as he had succeeded kidnapping those twins and forcing her to come there.

"So," he said, finally breaking the tension-filled silence, "obviously, now that you're here, I'll give you two choices. Go back to your beloved Natsume, leaving your twins here, and let them figure out what to do. But then, I am not reassuring you that your children won't be hurt. After all, I am an impatient man."

He paused for a few moments, letting his words sink in. he let out a derisive laugh when he saw her lips trying to form words that could not be formed. Then he continued, "The other option is that you will take the position of your children as captive. You will stay here, and the twins will be taken to their father safe and sound. However, I do not guarantee you a painless stay."

He watched her closely, and his smirk grew wider, as he saw the reaction he expected show on her face. But he still wasn't finished bursting her bubble of hope. He said, "If you are thinking that you being held captive rather than the twins will give Hyuuga lesser pain, I'm telling you now, you are very wrong."

"What makes you think that?" She asked, surprise evident in her voice, as she never expected those words. She continued, "I am not his girlfriend anymore. The only things that tie me with him are our friends, and the twins, now that he knows about them. I believe you know he's getting married, as you attacked his fiancée once already."

"Oh, so you don't know that they already broke the engagement?"

Her eyes widened for a moment, but they turned into slits once again. "That doesn't mean he still loves me."

"Well, why don't you choose the second option, so that we'll see?"

She looked straight into his eyes, and saw nothing but evil intent. She gritted her teeth. Not because of what he said, but because of what she said and did and thought. Because her words didn't entirely conceal the hope that she felt. And she didn't have time for feelings like that, did she? Well, she needed to find out.

"I was really going for the second option the moment you uttered it, bastard."

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><p>"Why does she always decide on her own?" Natsume muttered angrily. Hotaru let out a weary sigh, while Ruka paced across the room. Koko looked at his friends, worry also written on his face. He was about to say something, when suddenly, a maid entered.<p>

She said something, and what she announced made the four of them rush out of the room, and to the main gate. The moment they arrived, they all froze.

Because in front of them were the twins, who were crying. When they saw Koko, both simultaneously ran towards him and wailed, "Uncle Koko! Mommy was…mommy is…mommy…"

Natsume watched his own children crying in the arms of another man. The knot in his stomach tightened, and his knuckles turned white. Then he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He reached for it, and when he saw the number, he immediately pressed answer.

Hell had totally broken loose.

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><p><strong>Short once again, but I just can't make it longer. SO that I'll have no more worries about this story (:P) I'll be updating again later (tonight here in my country).<strong>

**Please review! :D**


	20. Chapter 20

**There are lapses in my story, and I'm thankful to those who point them out. As of now, I'll try to make up with those lapses with the next chapters, but once this story ends, I'll be fixing them now and then, depending on my schedule. Also, if I wasn't able to post tomorrow, I'm sorry. My internet connection is bad nowadays. :D**

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><p>Chapter 20-Promises<p>

"Okay, so now tell me again, how did Mikan know that man's whereabouts?" Tsubasa asked, as he walked to and fro across the room. Misaki, meanwhile, was sitting, but impatient taps from her foot can be heard throughout the room. The couple had been informed about the situation when the twins arrived at the doorstep.

"Can we not refer to him as just 'that man'? He has a name, Kuonji," Koko said. He was the calmest among them all, and yet he was fiddling with a ballpen. He continued, "And as for your question, like what we've told you, Kuonji also has Mikan's number. So he decided to contact her, and play with the mother in her. If you want proof, there's her phone on the table."

Tsubasa glanced at the table, then he said, "I don't need to. I still can't believe everything yet, after all. My baby sister…"

"Already has twins and is right now held hostage, as she was years ago," Misaki continued. That made her husband stop from his tracks, and sink into one of the couches, with his hands covering his face.

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><p>Natsume entered the dimly-lit room as quietly as he could. He didn't want to wake the two kids, who had only calmed down an hour ago, and who were in a deep slumber on the king-sized bed. But he learned, as he gently closed the door with a soft click, that one of them was still awake.<p>

"You are our daddy, aren't you?" a soft voice asked. Natsume stopped midway towards the bed. Then he saw Sora open his eyes and slowly sit up.

The boy was almost an exact replica of Mikan, with brown hair and chocolate eyes. But whereas his mother's eyes, when she was a child, were full of naivety, this little boy's eyes were inquisitive and smart. He asked once again, "You are our daddy, aren't you? Mommy said that Sakura looks like our daddy and both of you have the same color of hair and eyes."

Natsume gave him a small smile, as he continued his way to the bed. He used the time to think of his answer. When he was already sitting on the foot of the bed, he replied, "Yes, I am your daddy."

He did not dare touch his children. In fact, he did not know what to do with them around. He was never good with children. When the two were still crying, it was mainly Koko who comforted them, with some help from the married couple. Even Hotaru, Ice queen though she was, didn't just stand there and watch.

His eyes traveled on the small girl beside Sora. She was breathing evenly, her small pink lips slightly open. Her eyelids hid the crimson eyes they both shared, while her waist-length raven hair spread across the bed, contrasting sharply with its white covers. She had a peaceful look on her features, a very big contrast to the wailing little girl at the living room an hour before.

"She always falls asleep after crying. And then, when she wakes up, she'll be crying again," Sora suddenly said. Natsume looked back at his son, and saw that they were both watching Sakura sleep. The little boy looked back at him, and continued, "Until Mommy doesn't hug her, she won't stop."

"Oh, I see," Natsume murmured. Then silence filled the room, until the child broke it, saying, "Should I call you daddy?"

Natsume's eyes widened. He was very much taken aback by the question. No, not only with that question. Everything that Sora had said so far had surprised him. He never expected either of the twins to ask anything like that; in fact, he was still contemplating on how to tell them the truth. Koko was right; Sora did inherit his father's intellect.

He decided to play it safe, as he didn't know what Mikan had told them. He replied, "Do you want to call me daddy?"

The child's expression changed from that of a sober one, into a look of pure delight. He answered, "Yes, I want to! Mommy said that we should not call anybody 'papa', 'father', or 'daddy', unless it's our true father. That's what she told us when we asked her if we can call Uncle Koko 'daddy'."

Despite the situation, Natsume couldn't stop from feeling warm the moment he heard his son's words. Without really thinking, he patted Sora on the head gently, and said, "Very well then. Call me daddy."

That warm moment between the father and his son didn't last long, though. Sora wasn't finished asking questions. He inquired, "Daddy, are those guys who got us and mommy bad? What's going to happen to Mommy? Will they bring her back?"

Natsume froze. The warmth he felt had disappeared, and the knot in his stomach came back. He slowly lowered his hand, until it rested on his son's shoulder. He looked straight into the eyes of the child, and saw the tears forming.

"Sora, I…I promise you that I'll bring your mommy back. Believe me."

The child shook his head, surprising Natsume more. Then he said, "Daddy, please don't promise. Mommy said that it's more difficult if we promise. She said it's better to do things, rather than just say them. She said that actions speak louder than words."

Natsume brought his hand to his face, trying to hide the tears that suddenly formed. He could still remember the promise he gave Mikan once.

_He will never touch us, nor hurt us. I promise you that, Mikan. We will never be apart._

His son was right. Mikan was right. He shouldn't promise, especially to his children. So he composed himself once again, and looked back at his son. He said, "Well, that is true. We'll see what we can do about it. In the meantime, I want you to rest. You've been through a lot, and I'm sure you're tired."

"Okay," Sora said obediently. He once again lay down; letting his father tuck him in. then Natsume leaned to kiss his children's foreheads, and stood up slowly, trying not to disturb Sakura from her sleep. As he was about to get out of the room, he heard his son's voice call out to him.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I'm happy that we finally met."

Natsume looked back at Sora. The child had already closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. He smiled too. Then he got out of the room, and slowly closed the door.

"Me too, Sora. And I hope we can share this happiness with your mother."

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><p><strong>I don't know how to feel with the twins. I imagine them one way, they turn out another way when I write the chapter. But oh well.<strong>

**Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm only able to post now, because I woke up late.**

**I'm glad you all liked Sora. Too bad Sakura won't have as much exposure as Sora, but don't worry, you'll also meet her. :D**

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><p>Chapter 21-goodbye<p>

Natsume watched his best friend pace across the room. Amongst all of them who were there: him, Ruka, Hotaru, Koko, Tsubasa, and Misaki, it was only the blond who was standing.

He couldn't blame his friend. After all, he had just told them his plans.

"Are you sure, Natsume?" Ruka said. He stopped midway his pace, and turned to look at the raven-haired guy. He continued, "It's too dangerous. I mean, can't we just send the police? Why do you need to go first?"

Natsume tried to suppress an eye roll, because he knew that if he showed it, he would get a glare, and possibly more, from the Ice queen. Instead, he just replied, "I know it's dangerous. But we're talking about that bastard Kuonji here, and Mikan. I need to make sure that Mikan's safe before the police enter the scene."

"Well, if that really is your plan…" Tsubasa muttered. The anger in his voice was hardly suppressed, and everybody knows to whom that anger was. He had, after all, tried to punch Natsume the moment he arrived at the Nogi mansion. It was a good thing that Misaki was able to stop him.

"Natsume," Misaki called out, as she held her husband tightly in a hug. She continued, when she saw him look her way, "If anything goes wrong…and I'm desperately knocking on wood that it won't, please bear in mind that it wasn't your fault. Nobody is at fault, except Kuonji. Hear me?"

The raven-haired guy nodded, but in truth, he wasn't listening very closely.

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><p>Natsume stepped into the dimly lit room. He had his senses running double time, as he knew that relaxing even for just a second may cost him his life, and probably Mikan's too. And so, when he heard the lightest footsteps coming from his right, he immediately turned. He saw somebody moving towards him, but he couldn't discern who, until the person spoke.<p>

"Hello, Natsume. It's been a long time."

There was a click, and the lights turned on, blinding Natsume temporarily. He immediately got his gun out. The action obviously was amusing for his enemy, as he heard derisive laughter.

"Are you sure about that?" Kuonji asked. He let out a snort of laughter, and continued, "You might hurt your beloved."

Finally, Natsume's eyes had adjusted. He saw Kuonji sitting on a couch, twirling a gun as if it was a baton. He pointed the weapon towards the seated man, and asked, "Where's Mikan?"

A sly smile appeared on Kuonji's lips. He stopped twirling the gun, and pointed it somewhere to Natsume's left, saying, "Over there, Natsume. Over there, pale as death."

Crimson eyes widened as the words sank in. Natsume turned wildly towards the direction he was pointing. There she was, lying on the sofa, with eyes closed. True enough, she was pale as death.

"What did you do to her?" Natsume shouted, as he ran towards Mikan. He dropped to his knees when he reached her, and touched her cold cheek. He realized that her breathing was shallow. He looked for her pulse, and felt her faint heartbeats. He searched her whole body, but he saw no wound that could have made her like that.

"Oh, I just made her a drink of hell," Kuonji replied. Natsume stood up and turned towards him again. He saw the man holding a vial. Kuonji continued, "And this is the antidote. I think it is best to inform you that she doesn't have much time left, so we should really hurry with our deal."

Natsume held his gun tightly, and gritted his teeth. Then he asked angrily, "What is the deal?"

"Well," Kuonji slowly said, obviously savoring the fact that he was the one in control of the situation, "I get to shoot you; just one shot, don't worry. In exchange of that, I'll make your beloved drink this antidote. How about that?"

Before Natsume could answer, he felt a cold hand weakly grip his wrist. He turned around to see Mikan looking at him, pain so evident in her chocolate-brown eyes. She softly said, "No, Natsume. Don't agree with the deal. Save yourself. For our kids, please. He's right; I do not have much time left."

He fought back the tears threatening to fall after he heard her words. He knelt beside her once more, and caressed her cheek, whispering, "I can't, Mikan. I love you so much. I can't let you die. And I'm sure our children won't like that."

A lone tear fell down the side of her face, as she said, "I love you too, so please, save yourself. Please-"

He cut her off with a kiss; one that is so gentle but conveyed so much. Then she stood up once again, faced Kuonji, and said determinedly, "Fine, it's a deal."

Kuonji raised his gun, and pointed it at Natsume's chest. He had that sly smirk of a triumphant villain, which Natsume would have punched, had Mikan's life not been on the line.

Then there was a gunshot that barely drowned her scream of agony.

Natsume felt an excruciating pain. But it didn't matter much to him, because he knew that the guilt of having not saved Mikan would be much painful that that physical pain.

That is, until he saw Kuonji drop the vial.

His world came crashing down.

He vaguely heard the footsteps of the police, or the gunshots that were for Kuonji. He didn't care much when he saw the man fall due to around fifteen shots. He didn't care that his blood was gushing out. All he cared about was Mikan.

He felt someone hoist him onto a stretcher. At that moment, he gasped out, "No! Help Mikan! Please help her! Save her, please!"

He wanted to stay awake, to know what was going on, especially on Mikan. But he couldn't fight the pain he himself was experiencing, physically and emotionally.

Darkness closed in on him.

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><p>Voices flitted in and out of his mind, and whether they were just his imagination or not, he could never tell.<p>

_"...chances are slim, but we're doing our best..."_

_"...seems that he bargained himself..."_

_"We sure do hope that the antidote..."_

_"Many organs were hit..."_

Then he heard a voice that stood out from the rest.

_"Daddy, please don't die. I'll be waiting here with Sora until you and mommy wake up."_

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><p><strong>Please don't kill me for doing this to Mikan and Natsume. =))<strong>

**To those people who already cried for this story, ummm...I'm sorry? :D**

**Please review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Now I present to you the last chapter of this story.**

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><p>Chapter 22-Marriage<p>

The sky was at its most blue, and the sun was at its brightest. The warm breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees. The birds chirped happily, as if trying to encourage the people to come and feel the peace.

"Daddy's really going to have it now," a raven-haired girl muttered angrily as she stepped out of a limousine. Following her was a brown-haired boy, who chuckled at her remark, and said, "Don't be like that, Sakura. You sound like a six-year old."

"I _am _a six-year old, Sora," she retorted. He rolled his eyes, and replied, "But with the brains of twice your age."

She stuck her tongue at him, and rolled her eyes too. Then she turned to face their bodyguards, and told them, "Please stay here while I beat the heck out of our dad."

"And now you sound like a teenager," he teased. He got a punch for a reply.

Those two never failed to amaze their bodyguards, who had been with them since they were two. Both were excellent at rolling their eyes (something that they got from their mother's best friend), both have their father's intellect, and both love to tease each other.

Sakura glanced at her brother, as they slowly made their way towards their destination. He had a smile playing on his lips. It made her smile too, as she asked, "Hey, did you get the invitation?"

"I did," he answered, and he showed her an envelope. He continued, "I am not like you, who are so forgetful."

"I am not!" she said. Then they elapsed into silence, until she broke it. "If mommy knows what daddy's doing, I'm sure she'll get angry."

"I'm sure she already knows," he replied quietly. She did not say anything anymore, as a hundred thoughts ran through her mind.

Finally, they saw their father. The twins stopped a few meters from their father. They watched him for a few minutes. He stood there, his head bowed, his eyes covered, and his lips moving. He was obviously talking, but they were still too far to hear his words.

The twins' expressions matched their father's for the minutes they watched him. Unable to resist any longer, Sakura ran towards him, as she shouted, "Daddy!"

Natsume looked up, but he wasn't able to dodge when she jumped towards him. He caught her, but at the same time, he lost his balance fell. The scene amused Sora, and he let out a light chuckle as he walked towards them.

"What are you two doing here?" their father asked, surprise very much evident in his voice, as he sat up. Sakura released him from her tight hug, and gave him a punch at the shoulder. Then she replied, "We're here to scold you, because you're brooding again! How many times do we have to tell you, Mommy's not going to be happy if you're always sad about what happened?"

All of their eyes traveled to the grave in front of them. Then Natsume replied, "Sorry, Sakura, but I think you got it wrong. I am definitely not brooding whenever I visit your mother; I am just telling her what's going on with you two."

"Yeah, right, Daddy. So the expression on your face before Sakura jumped on you was happiness," Sora said, his voice dripping very much with sarcasm. He and his twin rolled their eyes as their father tried to make up an excuse. It reminded them that however calm and collected their father was when in front of other people, he would always show them what he really felt, just like how he did with their mother.

"Anyways, Daddy," Sora said, interrupting his father in the middle of a sentence. He sat beside them, and continued, "We've got an invitation to Aunt Miku's wedding."

"Really?" Natsume said. He took the envelope, opened it, and read the contents. The twins watched his expression change from that of curiosity to that of happiness. Then he finally broke the silence, saying, "Well, she's still lavish as ever. I won't be surprised if after the wedding, they'll be poor."

"You're so bad, Daddy. You almost married her, remember?" Sakura reminded him. Natsume face-palmed, prompting the twins to laugh. He joined them, and for a few minutes, only their laughter could be heard.

Then slowly, their laughter died down. Sakura looked at her mother's grave, and a sad smile crept up her lips. She said, "You and mommy didn't get married, right?"

"Sakura," Sora said. He looked reproachfully at his twin, who looked back stubbornly. As he watched the exchange between his children, Natsume realized something: the two already had numerous discussions about it, probably always ending with Sora having the final say.

"It's okay," he told his son, as he patted his head, "It's better that I tell you about it this early, so that you two will understand better."

"You do not need to tell us about it, we already know," Sakura said. Both she and her twin avoided their father's eyes. She continued, "Everybody around us, our grandparents, Uncle Koko, Aunt Hotaru, Uncle-"

"There is no need to enumerate," Sora interrupted. She glared at him, and said, "You do have a habit of interrupting people, don't you?"

"It is not my habit. I just do it when I know that what is being told is unnecessary."

Before she could retort, Natsume stepped in and asked, "So, in short, everybody else already explained it for you. It just shows how incompetent I am in being a father. I could not even talk to you about it."

"We're not bothered about you not telling us, truth is, we never even bothered other people to explain to us," Sakura said, obviously trying to lessen, if not totally remove, the guilt their father was feeling. "And we actually do not care about it. To us, it doesn't matter whether you and mommy are married or not."

Sora grinned, and added, "Yeah, I do not like that 'til death do us part' thing, anyway. It's not true."

Natsume smiled. Then, without warning, he pulled the twins into a tight hug.

They were right. Death never really parted them.

Because their love was stronger than anything in this world. Thus, she still lived.

She lived in their hearts.

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><p><strong>Most of you probably didn't expect that this will be the last chapter, and most of you are probably cursing me now.<strong>

**Thank you for all the support! I am so grateful for everybody who loved this story (but probably now you all don't because of the ending).**

**Please review!**


	23. Chapter 22 Alternative ending

**An alternative ending I made for my friend, when she asked that I make the ending happy. It is short, and does not show much of the twins. But still, it's a happy ending. A gift because you all supported me!**

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><p>Chapter 22-Marriage<p>

A woman clad in a white blouse, fitted black slacks, and black stilettos got out of the limousine parked in front of a mansion. She stopped for a moment, just to collect her thoughts, then walked to the main door. The butler opened it for her, as he bowed and said, "You're back early, madam."

"Well, I have urgent business. Is your master home?" she asked. The butler replied, "He's in the study, madam."

"And the children?" she inquired, as she went up the grand staircase. He followed her, and answered, "In their playroom. The Hyuuga twins are here for a visit."

She nodded, and ordered him to go back to his chores. Then she decided to drop by the children first, before she goes to talk with her husband.

Even from down the hall, she could already hear the children's laughter. It made her smile. When she got to the room, she knocked, and slowly opened the door.

"Mommy!" her twins exclaimed, as they saw her enter the room. Both got up and ran to hug their mother. Meanwhile, the other pair of twins stood up, and greeted, "Hi Aunt Hotaru!"

"Hi there, Sakura, Sora," Hotaru greeted back, ash she hugged her children. Then she released them, saying, "I just dropped by, but I need to go now I need to talk to your father. Have fun, all of you, okay?"

"Okay!" the children simultaneously replied. Then she went out of the room and continued her way to her husband's study.

"Hey," she nonchalantly said, as she entered the room not so quietly. She found him seated in front of his desk, buried in what seems to be the latest veterinary medicine book. He looked up at the sound of her voice, and surprise spread through his handsome features.

"What are you doing here?" Ruka asked. He dropped the book on his desk with a loud thud, and continued, "Don't you have, like, a bunch of very important meetings with clients today?"

"By the sound of your voice, it's as if you're trying to hide something, very much like cheating," Hotaru said coldly. His face paled, as he tried to make up an excuse. She rolled her eyes at his reaction, and smirked, as she said, "I was joking. I know you'd never cheat on me for so many reasons. And yes, I have important meetings today, but I thought this is more important."

Then she handed him an envelope. It was simple but elegant, with the loud colors of red and gold combined to give a bright but pleasant outlook. Ruka raised an eyebrow, and when he opened the envelope, he immediately understood what it was. And it made him grin widely.

It was a wedding invitation.

And the best part?

It was bearing their names.

_Hyuuga Natsume and Yukihara Mikan._

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><p><strong>You might notice that it is patterned after the first chapter. It is short, because this wasn't supposed to be the ending.<strong>

**This is my last update for this story. If I already have the time and creativity to fix this story and make it longer, I'll make you all know. **

**Please review!**


	24. Author's note

Author's note:

Hey guys! From the reviews I got, I think most of you got confused. The last update I did was only an ALTERNATIVE ending, meaning, it's not the ending I really wanted. For me, the true ending of this story was the sad one, because that really is how I envisioned the story to end. The alternative ending was only created when a friend of mine wanted a happy ending, though knowing full well that I'm going for the tragic one. It was her birthday, so I finally caved in and created an alternative one.

BUT the ending actually is yours to decide. If you want the tragic one, go for it! If you like the happy ending better, disregard the first ending and make the happy one your ending. The whole purpose of the two endings is that you'd be happy with what you really want.

Until the next time I decide to make another NxM fanfic (or edit this story and make it longer)!

Once again, thank you so much for the support! :D


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